Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of endoluminal products, and more particularly, to the field of fenestration devices, systems, and methods.
Discussion of the Related Art
Endovascular surgery is a minimally invasive method of treating vascular diseases from inside the blood vessel. Benefits of minimally invasive procedures include shorter hospital stays, quicker recoveries, and lower risk of complications. Difficulties with endovascular procedures include traversing irregularly shaped, highly tortuous, heavily branched, and very narrow vessels to gain access to the treatment site, and once access is gained, difficulties further include fine-tuning the rotational and lateral position of the tool. Another difficulty relates to maintaining continued blood flow through the vessels during the course of treatment.
When a stent graft is deployed, branch vessels in the proximity of the stent graft can become sealed off from the flow of blood. In order to maintain blood flow, the graft must be fenestrated at the branch vessel junction. This can be problematic because stent graft materials are typically very strong and durable in order to survive conditions within a mobile host vessel for many years, and puncturing this durable material endovascularly adds to the difficulty of the task. Procedures within the aorta present even more challenges, as compared to other vascular treatment sites, because the size and shape of the aorta and the dynamics of blood flow.
Safe preservation of blood flow to the supra-aortic branches during the procedure and subsequently is desirable. In situ fenestration of aortic devices has the potential to allow for continued perfusion of supra-aortic branches, without the need for extra-anatomic bypass, and without the need for custom-made devices. The angle formed by the branch vessel relative to the main vessel is an obstacle to success with this technique
Therefore, a need exists to develop better devices, systems, and methods for endovascular treatment of vessels that permit more accurate positioning and continued blood flow, especially with respect to in situ fenestration of aortic devices. In addition, a need exists for incorporating multiple tools within a single device capable of accurate positioning and continued blood flow that canalize the selected sites.